Direct locations, routes and timing
Make geography clear enough that action can be staged and followed.
2 min read
In this lesson
- Describe entrances and spatial relationships
- Write a route with an observable finish
Establish a usable layout
Name the location and describe the relationships that matter: the front door opens into a hallway; the kitchen is beyond the doorway on the left; the staircase begins opposite the entrance. A long list of décor cannot substitute for a clear route. Establish the layout before asking a character to move through it.
Use a location reference when it explains the geography. Distinguish the same room from a new room, and an interior from its exterior. Do not assume a separate location file or a three-dimensional scene exists unless you have actually supplied it and the workflow supports it.
Block one action clearly
Specify the starting mark, the trigger, the route and the stopping point. Add a pause or a rough timing cue when it affects the meaning, while keeping the action plausible for the shot length. Exact instructions improve clarity but do not guarantee frame-perfect generated motion; inspect the take.
Keep the camera instruction separate from the performer’s movement. A shot can hold while the actor crosses, or follow the actor through the doorway. Do not ask for several incompatible viewpoints in one continuous take. If the action needs a cut, describe the two shots instead.
Start with Nia at the sink. At the knock, she sets down the glass, crosses behind the table and exits through the doorway on frame right. She stops one step inside the hall, facing the front door. Hold her reaction before cutting.
Put it into practice
Sketch a room with two doors and a table. Write a short route through it with a start, trigger, path, stop and final facing direction.
- The route does not cross furniture or an undefined doorway
- The camera can show the action from the requested position
Go deeper in the handbook
Control locations, wardrobe and props